Stainless Bonnet Pins

[MerlinGTI 3]

When I first bought my car I fitted some bonnet pins which were 'stainless steel'. The actual pin bits have gone rusty which looks horrid and winds me right up.

 

I have now sourced a new auto bonnet which will be fitted shortly, and so im in the market for some new pins and would like your help and recommendations to avoid the rusty pin saga all over again.

 

The style of pin I want is:

 

 

or something simular with that little steel cable on them gone in 60 seconds stylee Aero catch's are out of the question (not retro enough), must be silver, must not rust!

 

Any ideas or personal recomendations?

 

Cheers

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

i have got silver allu ones, and they have started oxidising already and they have only been fitted a couple of months bearing in mind these were cheap ones so my advice is the get the most expensive you can afford.

 

thats what i'm gonna do next, that will teach me for being a cheap arse.

 

ebay have alot af they from cheap to pricey i'd start there.

[Chris H 10]

I've found the Sparco ones pretty poor, got a habit of coming loose!

 

The stainles ones Rally Design sell are what i normally use and found them great so far.

[SurGie 54]

If you find some decent stainless steel ones make sure they are not the cheap ones

that have less grey chromium element in them, which is what makes stainless steel rust proof & shiny. imo Road driving can

still make stainless steel tarnish.

 

You could try getting them zinc plated.

Edited July 22, 2009 by SurGie

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

I've got those pins with the cables fitted to my 205. I think Grayston make them and cost under a tenner from Motorists Discount Shop.

 

Mine are coming off though, as it seems the marshalls at the Nurburgring will not let you on the track now with that type of pin. Only the aerocaatch type seem to be allowable, hence why my cable pins are coming off and replaced by some lockable aerocatch's.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Thanks for your input chaps.

 

I have purchaced the stainless OMP ones demon Tweaks sell (the ones without the ugly base plate) I will let you know what they are like when they turn up. I'm still open to suggestions and looking about.

[MerlinGTI 3]

The OMP pins have arrived and im FAR from impressed.

 

The nuts supplied are too big for the upright pin for starters. Yes, the nuts supplied in the vacum sealed packaging are to big! they just slide up and down the shaft. Easilly fixed granted, but come on! seriously?!?

 

The plate you fix to the bonnet is extremely thin, not a problem really but reeks of cheapy quality. Im dubious wether this is stainless steel. Its also very sharp on the underside where they have been pressed, which will cut into the paint on the bonnet.

 

The nice steel cable in the picture is actually a bit of nylon now and insted of reasonable looking ends, they have electrical 'O' style connectors crimped to the nylon, complete with blue insulation.

 

The pull out pin bit, isnt stainless, but yellow zinc'ed steel, complete with 'missed bits'

 

Avoid

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Oh dear, shocking .... What did you pay for them if you don't mind me asking?

 

Can you not return them if they are not as described?

[MerlinGTI 3]

Worked out just over £19 delivered.

 

I have sorted the nut issue, I will sand the underneath of the 'plates' so they are no longer sharp, and im gonna leave them outside for a week before I fit them to see if they rust. If they dont happy days if they do they are going in the bin I really cant be arsed sending them back.

 

Sexy, but dog s**t quality!

[u47sb2 27 2 Cars]

I've got a pair bought from merlinmotorsport on the rally car. Been on it for 6 months now and no signs of rust. Relatively easy to fit and quite cheap (about £11 for the pair). Just remember to make sure they're fastened before driving!!

 

Link - http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p2073/QU...oduct_info.html

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Personally I couldn't find any bonnet pin that satisfied my needs, dont really like aerocatchs or the price and all the other ones are s*ite quality.

 

Theres a market here for a good quality, GOOD DESIGN, bonnet pin but i've yet to come up with an idea for one.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Intresting results after leaving one of the OMP pins in a damp cloth overnight. The disk I suspected was NOT stainless, seems to be sufferring a tiny bit of tarnishing and thats all.

Bad news is the slide pin is already rusting

 

 

So everything apart from the slide pin is now rectified/suitable.

 

Does anyone know where I can get propper stainless steel slide pins? Then I can put these bad boys on

[MerlinGTI 3]

Right think ive sussed it. Ive just spoken to a electroplater who said he can chrome plate them with a very heavy nickel content, will not rust unless 'I leave them in a bucket of salt water for weeks'

 

I have some other bits I need doing as well so I will get them done all in 1 shot.

 

Nothing is ever bloody easy is it!

[Rich_p 23]

I'm sure it's the grayston ones I have on mine and it's been sat outside for over a year and they doesn't seem to be any rust present at all.

 

I got them from here http://www.performance-oils.co.uk/acatalog...t_Products.html

 

I'm sure it's the competition set not the alloy set I bought.

[MerlinGTI 3]

I'm sure it's the grayston ones I have on mine and it's been sat outside for over a year and they doesn't seem to be any rust present at all.

 

I got them from here http://www.performance-oils.co.uk/acatalog...t_Products.html

 

I'm sure it's the competition set not the alloy set I bought.

 

 

Ive got the bit between my teeth now dude and decided on getting these bastard OMP ones up to spec But useful for others

[jeremy 70]

Another possible source would be from Ifor Williams trailer makers. Amittidly you may have to adapt some compoments but from my experience their stuff does not rust, as used on their horse trailers.

Edited July 26, 2009 by jeremy